AUNZ Invitational match declared a shootout for Wallabies starting spots, set to feature Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
AUNZ coach Les Kiss confirmed that several Wallabies aspirants will be given the chance to impress Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt for a starting spot, the day after he announces his wider Lions squad.
The AUNZ Invitational XV is the first to feature stars from both Australia and New Zealand since 1989 and will be led by Kiss – who takes over from Schmidt midway through next year as Wallabies coach – alongside assistants Ian Foster, Simon Cron and Zane Hilton.
Given it is the Lions' final hitout before their three-Test series against the Wallabies, it's expected they'll put out a full strength side against a combined team that is set to feature former All Blacks Richie Mo'unga and Shannon Frizell, as well as Wallabies contenders that could include Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Tom Lynagh, who are on the mend from injuries.
'We're not sure what the balance will end up at this stage, however you're going to see some talent here,' said Kiss after the team jersey was unveiled in Adelaide on Friday.
'You're going to see some players at the top of their game, particularly some Wallabies that'll be chancing their last hand to say can I be part of Joe's team in that first Test when we go to Brisbane.
'So we're going to see some quality players that's for sure. It's a brilliant coaching group. I'm really pleased to be part of that but the broader management group from all the provinces and from RA are also coming in together to make this an experience, a unique experience that we can all enjoy.
'It's going to be a fair dinkum game but talking to some players and the staff, they're going to come in here to enjoy.'
There have been suggestions that the AUNZ team will be sent out to bash the Lions and hobble them for the opening Test, to which Kiss smirked and gave a coy response.
'I don't know what tactics we'll throw out yet but we just don't want the British & Irish Lions to get a handle on that too early,' Kiss said.
'Look when you bring that type of group together, I'm not going to say it's Barbarians, but we're going to allow them to play their footy and we're going to be direct and try and create some opportunities for those players to put their hand forward for whatever they want to do in terms of their Wallabies selections as well.
'I'm pretty sure Joe and myself will be talking about certain players that we need to give some time so that they can get a chance to put their hand up for the Test series.'
South Australia will host a four-day festival of events before and after the invitational game.
Further details
Thursday, July 10 – Official Golf Day
Book here.
Thursday, July 10 – Rugby Business Network Dinner
Friday, July 11 – Official Lunch
Tickets here.
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A golden effort, a cruel ending, a classic for the ages
It was, friends — the result aside — rugby at its very best. The second thing to celebrate was just how wonderfully the Wallabies played. I want my Australian teams to bleed for the jersey, to back themselves, to eschew the percentage play in favour of a damn-the-torpedoes, full-speed-ahead approach — and that is exactly how they played from the outset. After losing last week, our blokes started the match as 6-1 underdogs, criticised by former Lions coach Clive Woodward for having a 'losing mentality,' and there was a widespread feeling that we were simply outclassed. But under the captaincy of Harry Wilson, the Wallabies looked like a different team from the opening whistle. The lineouts worked. The scrums worked. Courtesy of the likes of Will Skelton and Rob Valetini coming into the pack this week, we had so much go-forward in the collisions that the Lions forwards were reeling with every clash. Loading In the backs, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Tom Wright and Max Jorgensen made break after break. With ten minutes to go before half-time we had gone out to an 18-point lead, 23-5, courtesy of fabulous tries to James Slipper, Jake Gordon and Tom Wright - and it really looked as if not just a win but a blow-out win was on the cards! Even when the Lions came back with two tries of their own just before half-time, hope sprang eternal. For still the Wallabies didn't back off, tackling themselves red-raw meantime. The Australians even had the line wide-open at one point for what might have been the winning Wallabies try with ten minutes to go, only for our ball to be lost on heavy contact. It all came down to the final minute, with the Wallabies clinging to a 26–24 lead — only for the Lions to go over in extremis, in the corner. Many felt Lions flanker Jac Morgan's pulling down of Carlo Tizzano at a ruck just before Hugo Keenan scored, should have seen the try disallowed. Maybe. Maybe not. The ref said it was a legitimate try, and so be it. That technical loss aside, there was victory off the field in having staged such a match at the MCG — before a Lions world-record crowd of just over 90,000 — with many Victorians seizing the rare opportunity to witness a game of such global significance. With that in mind, I'll leave you with the words of Mr AFL himself, Eddie McGuire, who texted John Eales and myself immediately after the match ended. Folks, here's… Eddie!' 'What an amazing night for your code. 90,000 at the MCG! 'Record. Amazing game.,' McGuire messaged. 'Not sure why we didn't get the last penalty. Ref has no idea about setting up a huge result and a big final game. Another effing tax auditor ruining the game!! 'Almost the perfect result. Still an amazing night. You should be very proud of the rugby culture. A week of joy. More please!' More to come, Eddie. It will be at the Olympic Stadium, next Saturday night. The Australians will be waiting for the Lions. They're a team that has grown before our eyes over this past week, a team to be proud of. They will be even better next week, and if there is a rugby God, this time it will go our way!
